


Crashing Out Into The Noise (Is Everybody In?)

by SlayToon



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Addiction, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Band Fic, Drug Abuse, Drunk Murdoc Niccals, Gen, Hangover, I'm Bad At Summaries, Implied Relationships, Inspired by Music, My First AO3 Post, Noodle is Pure, Painkillers, Phase Two (Gorillaz), Please Don't Hate Me, Protective Russel hobbs, Protectiveness, Sad Stuart "2D" Pot, Self-Indulgent, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, This is not my fault, asshole redemption, but he's an asshole, damon and jamie, get your shit together, haven't written in a long time, i love murdoc, learning how to write again, murdoc ruins everything, pathetic, russel is a good dad, secretly sleeping together, sober up, team mom, title is from a song, we can't pretend he's not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-23 11:46:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16618373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlayToon/pseuds/SlayToon
Summary: "You," he growled, glaring down at the excuse for who had been his friend. "Have worn down mylastdamn nerve."Set early in the production of Demon Days.Murdoc can't make rehearsel anymore, which devestates Noodle, which just makes 2D depressed.Russel is left, alone, to prop up the drunk green domino that could topple his baby girl's dreams.





	Crashing Out Into The Noise (Is Everybody In?)

"But," Noodle said, looking around. "Where is Murdoc-san?"  
Russel shot a nervous glance at their often befuddled singer.  
2D ruffled his frizzy blue hair off the back of his neck.  
"M'sure 'e's jus'... Runnin' late."  
'Running late'. Russel thought, tapping a lazy drumstick on the weathered coffee table that currently served as their drawing board. 'Motherfucker lives in the fucking parking garage.'  
"Yeah."  
He rumbled, smiling softly at Noodle.  
She pulled her headphones gently from her neck, nodding absentmindedly.  
"I'll be right back."  
She stood quickly from the table and padded away on bare feet.  
Russel heard the door to her room thump loudly shut.  
He groaned.  
"God _damn_ it."  
2D cringed just slightly.  
"Aw, c'mon. Maybe-"  
"Maybe nothin'. That asshole's missed the last three times we were supposed to actually record anything. Gettin' on my fuckin' nerves."  
He backed awkardly away from the table- manuevering his large frame up from sitting cross-legged on the floor was no easy feat- and started to stand.  
He heard 2D's muffled snicker and shot him a warning look.  
"Shut up, 'D. Ya skinny ass can't run for long."  
2D bit down on another snort.  
"Need a 'and?"  
He _did_.  
"Nah,"  
He floundered up to his feet, righting his hat once he was vertical.  
"I'mma go find him."  
He said, brushing past 2D.  
2D's black eye-pits scrunched nervously.  
"Maybe it's bettah if ya don't."  
Russel's features hardened.  
"No, it ain't. We only have two more months to get this thing in the studio. We've had four to get it on _paper_ and we've barely done that. I ain't cuttin' him any more breaks. He's costin' us time and money."  
They both, in the short silence, heard a quiet sniffle echo in the short hallway.  
"Besides," Russel said through gritted teeth. "It's breakin' Babygirl's heart. _She_ still fuckin' likes him."  
2D sighed, scrubbing at his hair again.  
He did that a lot when he was trying to detox a little, as if his slightly tremoring fingers didn't give it away. Russel felt bad for him; a decade on hardcore painkillers just so he could sleep through the night had resulted in a mounting addiction at complete junkie status before he was thirty years old.  
Russel knew crackheads who were better off.  
"A'ight," 'D mumbled, looking down. One of his big hands stole into his front pocket; Russel heard the tin he kept his pills in rattle around. "Fine. But we can't 'ave 'im in 'ere makin' an arse out of 'imself. So-"  
"Yeah, yeah.  
Russel rumbled, heading for the door.  
"I'll toss him in the shower first."  
Murdoc acted like staying 'away from the distractions' had been his own, sober, organic idea, but in reality, Russel had threatened to split him into four individual pieces of motherfucker if he was anywhere within in traumatizing range of Noodle while he was drunk, and Murdoc's best idea of how to keep _that_ from happening was to park the 'Bago in the parking garage on Kong's bottom level. It was completely dumbfucked. The heater didn't work, the bed area was busted in half, the bench that Murdoc did sleep on was bare with the rough covering pealing off. It wasn't like Russel liked him down there, he did have a heart. He'd gladly welcome Murdoc (who often liked to mention that he _owned_ the bleeding studio) back inside if he could keep the boozing down below blackout levels.  
So, the hobgoblin slept outside.  
Russel tried to feel bad about it.  
"Hey!  
He shouted, smacking the Winnebago's smashed-in door with a big fist.  
"Hey, gangrenous! It's four in the fuckin' afternoon. I'mma-"  
"Christing bloody... _Christ_ , Russ, shut up."  
Russel whirled around.  
Murdoc was leaning against the back bumper of the 'Bago, one hand gripped to the window keeping him upright.  
He swiped the other wrist over his mouth, blinking.  
"M'bloody awake."  
He mumbled.  
Russel crossed his arms.  
"When the hell did you go to sleep?"  
"Didn't," Murdoc said, and puked 'discreetly' off to the side again. " _Passed out_ 'round six or seven."  
"Good for you."  
Russel grumbled.  
"Oh, piss off."  
Murdoc shook out his messy, unclean black hair and felt his way to the door Russel had been pounding on.  
"You were supposed to be at the meeting half an hour ago."  
Murdoc snorted, wrenching the door open.  
" 'Meeting'. "  
"Hey.  
Russel barked, yanking him back by the chain around his neck.  
"It's important to Babygirl."  
Murdoc shifted his shadow-ringed eyes up to his friend's.  
"I _know._ "  
"Do you?"  
Russel asked.  
Murdoc jerked away from him, gripping the doorframe of the abused RV to stay standing.  
"Of course I fucking do.  
He grated, glaring up at Russel.  
"M'a fuckup but I'm not a fucking moron, Russ."  
Russel stole a glance behind him at the building's lift.  
"Get inside."  
He said flatly.  
Murdoc arched a brow.  
"Wot? I-"  
"I said get the fuck inside."  
He grabbed Murdoc by the collar of his shirt and shoved him into the Winniebago, slamming the door shut behind the both of them,  
Murdoc shook his head against the vertigo and leaned back against the dining bench that served as his bed.  
"Russ, Jesus bloody-"  
Russel poked him hard in the chest with two thick fingers, knocking the air out of him, and knocking him _quiet_.  
"You," he growled, glaring down at the excuse for who had been his friend. "Have worn down my _last_ damn nerve."  
Murdoc bared his teeth and stood up straight.  
"Oh, yeah? Well then ship the fuck out, mate."  
Russel took in the setting.  
The 'Bago was less of a sty that it had been the last time he was inside it; Russel assumed Murdoc had lost something important in the mess and had been forced to do some cleaning.  
"You're a fucking joke."  
He said, eyes scanning up Murdoc's thin frame.  
Murdoc grinned at him, slicking his hair back off his forehead.  
"You're a fucking _liar_."  
Russel stepped up to him.  
"You're, what, like thirty-two? Sleepin' in a fuckin' RV because you're a bad parent."  
Murdoc barked out a grating laugh.  
"That's a good one."  
"Shut your dumb ass up, Muds, you love her more than anyone's ever been able to love _you_.  
Russel shot.  
"She was _crying_ because you didn't show up."  
Murdoc clenched a fist at his side, leaning down to sit.  
Russel sat heavilly down next to him, looking away.  
"We don't have a lot of time."  
He said.  
He heard Murdoc snort again.  
"Like I don't fuckin' know."  
He let a beat pass.  
"What she's got is pretty damn good."  
He watched the other man out of the corner of his eye.  
Murdoc nodded.  
"Yeah. I know."  
"Is that it?"  
Murdoc let the breath pass that time.  
"M'not sure."  
Russel eyed him for a moment longer.  
"Be bitter all you want.  
He said, grasping Murdoc's shoulder to turn his head.  
"But do it when we're done. This is important to her, but it's important _for_ us. We spent a year and a half apart. We don't have make it work forever, we just have to make it work for now. When it drops we can break up again."  
Murdoc pulled away from him and stood. He yanked his tattered black denim jacket off the dish dryer and yanked his beaten flask out of the pocket.  
"Aw, Murdoc,"  
"It's half- fuckin'- empty.  
Murdoc snapped.  
"Hair of the dog. Want me hung over or want me able to fuckin' play?"  
He watched Russel for a response.  
The drummer sighed.  
"Fine. Whatever."  
Murdoc spun the cap off the flask and took a long drink.  
"Everyone ready?"  
He asked, shaking his head.  
In his defense, it did only take him a minute to get to looking alive again.  
As alive as anyone with a green complexion could look, anyway.  
"Can be, in about five minutes."  
Murdoc nodded, slipping his jacket on.  
"Right then. One thing."  
He checked Russel in the shin with one of his sharp little boot heels, making him stand.  
"The hell-?"  
Murdoc tore the sewn-in cushion off the back of the dining bench and, from some unknown chasm, produced El Diablo, the demon bass he had somehow traded his mortal soul for (evidently).  
"Oh," Russel snickered. "That was what you lost."  
Murdoc arched his eyebrow again; the one above his one eerily red iris.  
" 'Scuse me?"  
Russel shook his head.  
"Never mind."  
Murdoc banged out the door, shoving his flask in his breast pocket.  
"Alright. Magic time."  
He murmured, bouncing a bit too enthusiastically off the 'Bago's runner step.  
Russel laughed low in his throat, following.  
"That hurt?"  
Murdoc smirked harshly.  
"Lil' bit."  
Russel punched him in the arm.  
"Good."  
They trekked up the dead lift to the studio, not talking; not needing to.  
The green bastard wasn't going anywhere. Russ knew that. The green bastard knew that. Any. Fucking. Where.  
Murdoc swigged down another gulp of whatever rocket fuel he was sucking today.  
Russel straight-armed him in front of the door, eyeing him sidelong again.  
"You good?"  
Murdoc nodded.  
"Yeah."  
"Good."  
They entered the apartment floor together, Murdoc slinging El Diablo across his back.  
"Oi, Noodle-luv. C'mon, let's-"  
"Hello," drawled the taller of the two intruders. "How _are_ we?"  
Murdoc's bloodshot eyes widend at Jamie Hewlett sprawled on their sofa beside a pale 2D and a smiling Noodle, who had undoubtledly had to answer questions about an as of yet non-existent album until they showed up.  
Damon, sitting with an ankle-crossed leg in a chair in the corner, simply smiled.  
"Oh. Hello."  
Murdoc said, shooting Russel a look.  
The drummer grinned broadly.  
'You. Mother. Fucker.  
Murdoc mouthed at him.  
"Noodle-luv was jus' tellin' us about all ya progress.  
Albarn said, twirling his earphone cord as he spoke.  
" _All_ of it."  
"Well," Russel produced his sticks from his back pocket. "Have ya heard enough _about_ it?"  
Damon and Jamie, and 2D and Murdoc, regarded each other warily.  
"I suppose we have."  
Damon said flatly.  
"Good!  
Noodle chirped, bouncing off the couch.  
"We can play our new single."  
"Single..?"  
Murdoc and 2D murmured together.  
Noodle nodded, narrowing her sharp black eyes at Murdoc.  
"Yes, Murdoc-san. The one that starts with _your bass_."  
She hissed the last two parts.  
Murdoc, wincing, pulled the bass back around his front.  
"Sure. Right."  
Noodle retrieved a beaten acoustic guitar from Satan knew where and curled close to 2D on the couch with it.  
"The new one?"  
2D asked, sitting up straight.  
Noodle nodded.  
Murdoc saw the quick, simple way she showed him the paper. The flash of white on the back of her guitar was all he had to see.  
2D smiled.  
"Oh. Right."  
The band took a moment situating themselves, tuning instruments, Russel hauling the wheeled kit out of his bedroom.  
"You knew they were here."  
Murdoc whispered, 'checking' an amp cord, knelt down beside Russel's snare pedal.  
"Saw Damon's shitty car out front."  
"Russ, I am _fried_.  
Murdoc hissed, glaring up at him.  
"We're fucked."  
Russel rolled a shoulder.  
"We'll come by it honestly."  
Murdoc cursed in English and tongues as he stood and strode nervously around tuning his bass.  
When, at dreaded last, they were ready, Murdoc slid his fingers down the fret board in a sliding chord.  
Russel saw the stress leave his shoulders, the tension leave his fingers. He wasn't worth shit at much, but when he did what knew how to do, inside and out, there was no messing it up.  
He hated him for it sometimes. Russel himself had relied on backup, and then on Del, to sound even remotely good for so long, he didn't know how to dig for that pure skill that everyone else in their band had.  
He could never hate Babygirl or 'D for it.  
But Murdoc?  
Murdoc was fair fucking game.  
-Buh-duh-dun-uh-dun-dun- thundered the bass. The same signature. Immediate rhythm.  
" 'City's breaking down on a camel's back'," 2D sang. Noodle harmonized at first to help him catch the beat. " 'they just have to go 'cos they don't know wack.' "  
Maybe they didn't deserve to keep making it.  
" 'So, you all fill the streets, it's appealing to see,' "  
Maybe they had cashed in all their luck and they were asking for disastor.  
" 'You won't get out the country 'cos you're bad and free.' "  
Maybe.  
But this was their comeback, for better or worse.  
" 'You've got a new horizon, it's ephemeral style,' "  
Murdoc whirled around with the bass, slid another chord down the guitar's neck, the reverb bouncing off the thick-plastered walls.  
" 'A meloncholy town where we never smile.' "  
Noodle started picking out the same melody, the edge blunted by the warm sound of her acoustic.  
" 'An' all I wanna hear is my message beep. My dreams they've got to kiss because I don't get sleep, no.' "  
How they all knew the next lines, none of them knew later.  
But when they sang together, they remembered why they could never stay apart.  
" 'Windmill, Windmill for the land,' " the harmony rose into the air. " 'Turn forever, hand in hand. Take it all on your stride, it is ticking; falling down.'"  
Russel raised his eyes up for just one second, his hands knowing where to land to make the right noise, and met Murdoc's bloodshot, mismatched eyes.  
" 'Love, forever, love is free. Let's turn forever, you and me.' "  
Murdoc and Noodle, who had gotten up at some point, stalked around each other Crossroads style and backed up to crash into the next part together. 2D's voice rose over the sound.  
" 'Windmill, windmill, for the land. Is everybody in?' "  
Everybody was.

**Author's Note:**

> If you didn't notice, they're sleeping together.


End file.
